Leadership Is Hard
by Zira Angel
Summary: Optimus has a problem with seekers. More specifically, Starscream. Sister story to Click. TFA


Here is Leadership Is Hard

I decided to post it all as one chapter because I'm actually quite lazy, and only one person actually gave an opinion on how to post it. I was leaning towards this way, and they confirmed it. Hooray!

And yes, this starts with dealing with an original character. I know, it is terrible, but this is from a series of stories all interconnected. If you want to read about them, the link to them all is in my journal, which is the homepage link in my profile. If you don't, this stands well enough on its own.

This is the sister story of _Click_, and comes before _A Continuous Courting_. Read it in whatever order you want.

Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro

* * *

Optimus watches several of his best medics work on the damaged Seeker, and he feels a processor ache start to form right behind his optics. Apparently, a Decepticon soldier had assaulted this black and purple mech and caused the Seekers to revolt. They had always been a relatively autonomous group among the Decepticon forces, and the attempted removal of the wings of one of their own had prompted them to leave Megatron's forces. Quickly. En masse.

Or so they claim. Optimus does _not_ rub his forehead the way he wants to, choosing to turn and face the terrified Autobot captive that had come in along with the Seekers. Scatterstar was looking much better than the last time Optimus had seen him, in terms of his health, but his constant panicked attempts to 'help' them with the injured Seeker were beginning to disturb the medics.

"Scatterstar," Optimus would like to put a reassuring servo on the bot's shoulder, but he knows the secretarybot startles easily at the sight of blue, "please, you must calm down and allow our medical staff to help your ... partner."

When the bot proceeds to go back to 'help' again, Optimus bites back an irritated sigh. "_Scatterstar_."

The secretary bot freezes, but thankfully doesn't flinch at the sound, and Optimus cautiously puts a servo on his upper arm. "Let them work. Red Alert is the best we have for flight bots, and we _are_ being trusted to keep him safe by," he tries to remember which of the seekers Scatterstar seemed to have trusted most, "Slipstream, aren't we?"

The motorcyclebot looks over his shoulder to where Skywarp is, but Optimus moves slightly to block. Looking down at Scatterstar, he raises an optic ridge, and the smaller mech finally nods reluctantly.

"Good. We'll set up a room for you," the little bot looks like he's about to protest, "_and_ Skywarp. Not the same one you had before."

One of the medics shoves an energon cube into Scatterstar's servos, and the little mech drinks it, apparently used to taking whatever energon he is able to get. Optimus hopes the medics put some sort of calming agent in the energon, because he's not entirely sure that they're going to be able to get Scatterstar to leave the medical bay without it. The bot is Prowl's model-type after all, and Primus knows they've never been able to catch Prowl when he wants to avoid being caught.

He's relieved when Scatterstar's optics dim and he sways on his peds a bit. "You look tired, Scatterstar. Please, allow me to help you to your room."

"No, I've got - '_Warp_," he says, and reaches for the Seeker again.

Optimus gently starts to pull Scatterstar out of the medical bay, "They'll fix him and have him up in no time, Scatterstar. I'm sure he would want you to be well-rested when he onlines again."

Scatterstar keeps protesting, but Optimus just leads the mech out. Catching him when he falls from the drugged energon, Optimus lays him on the couch. He's about to head out and check on his family when he hears Bee say something about not having any bones.

Deciding that Sari and her cohorts have Bee's freakout under control, he knows he has to, unfortunately, call in to high command to tell them what's going on.

He isn't looking forward to it.

That particular com call takes over three full megacycles, and leaves Optimus with a processor ache that would knock any other bot off his or her peds. And he's still not positive that he'd managed to convince command that he'd made the right decision.

"The Seekers came to us, demanded that we shelter their fallen brother and his Autobot ... partner," and Optimus had sent _that_ footage through—Skywarp being carried by the other Seekers, wing nearly severed from his frame, leaking energon and oil steadily, his systems in stasis lock. "Skywarp is the most harmless of the Seekers," and he'd accompanied that statement with files of their many encounters with the terrified jet, "and there were far more consequences for rejecting this ... alliance than for accepting it. We will remain vigilant and cautious, of course."

He firmly did _not_ mention the way Starscream had touched his _aft_ during the negotiations. It was pure coincidence.

He steps out, just barely not rubbing his temples, and looks around. Scatterstar is still recharging on the couch, but his head is in Arcee's lap while she's reading a datapad and leaning on Ratchet's side. From the sound of it, Sari and Bee are in the minibot's room playing video games. Since he can't find Jazz or Prowl, he is fairly certain they're in the black and gold bot's room. And judging by the fact that there's a small crowd outside, Bulkhead just finished a painting.

He's debating on taking a nap, when Red Alert steps out of the medical bay, and claps her hands loudly. It startles Scatterstar awake, but everyone else in the living area is far too used to her enthusiasm to react much.

"And we're done. It was touch and go for a little bit, but now he's fixed." She looks down at the secretarybot that looks like he wants to say something, but she continues talking, "He isn't going to be flying for awhile, and I want him here for observation to make sure. But you can come look at him. He's recharging, though. If you make a fuss, I'm kicking you out."

Scatterstar scrambles up to his feet, "I just want to see him."

Optimus follows; he's not sure where the Seekers currently are—if they are out seeking revenge or waiting somewhere in the base. He'd delegated housing responsibilities to his other staff, but he regrets it now, as that staff has failed to inform him of where exactly the giant Decepticons have gone. Regardless, he wants to see Skywarp for himself, so he can reassure the other jets that their companion is being well-cared for by the Autobots.

The motorcyclebot clearly wants to rush to the purple seeker's side, but is walking slowly under Red Alert's stern optics. Optimus watches as Scatterstar kisses Skywarp gently on his forehead, and brings the decepticon's servo to his faceplate, rubbing against it lovingly while murmuring too softly to hear.

Sidling next to the nursebot, Optimus questions in a soft undertone, "Anything I need to be told about this?"

She narrows her optics in thought. "Just that the one that did it was particularly vicious, but we already knew that. I can take care of this, Optimus. You look half offline. Go take a nap or drink some energon."

"Only if you do the same, Red Alert," he smiles wearily, "and your entire team. You could all do with a break."

She glances at her patient, and the small secretarybot who has managed to tuck himself against Skywarp's frame, "I'm not going to turn down a chance to recharge, boss. Medics spend the rest of our lives trying make up for all the recharge we missed in the medical academy and training rotations."

Optimus leaves her behind, checking to make sure that no urgent messages from command have come in during the last breem or two. Finding nothing waiting, he heads to his quarters, hoping that a good recharge will knock the processor ache away.

When he opens the door, he's greeted with the sight of _Starscream_ laying on his berth. If it had been Blackarachnia laying with her sparkplates open and posed even _half_ as seductively, he would have walked in without another thought. But that is _Starscream_.

It is all he could do not to shriek like a startled femme and run out the door.

Starscream slides his claws over the inside of his spark chamber, which is startlingly empty, giving Optimus an intense leer.

"Oh, Primus," Optimus covers his optics with one servo, backing unsteadily toward the door, "I'm so terribly, terribly sorry, Starscream. Someone must have—there must have been a mistake. Someone placed you in my quarters by mistake. I'll just," he ducks outside, "go recharge somewhere else."

Primus. He's _never_ going to get that image out of his head. His tanks churn. And he's going to have to schedule remedial training for the bots responsible for keeping track of where their guests are housed.

He shudders unhappily, deciding that a cube of energon would be better than recharging right now. He could go for high-grade, but that would do nothing but make him look bad in front of his troops.

He makes it to the public dispenser, and gets a cube with no trouble. Leaning against it, he shudders again as he sips, when Sari pops up, all bright smiles and cheer. Optimus can't help but smile when he sees her, and sets down his cube to talk.

"Bumblebee is _totally_ freaking out," she grins at her friend's expense. "I don't think he can ignore Sunstorm any longer."

Optimus shakes his head, "Yes, well, the Seekers are quite good at disrupting our lives in new and complicated ways. I don't fault Bumblebee for being upset, but I'll have to make sure he doesn't endanger this ... alliance, before it even properly begins." ...

Sari cackles, and Optimus winces almost imperceptibly. "We just need to be cautious, Sari. I'm not sure how well this will work out."

She pats his servo gently, trying to reassure him. "I'm sure it will be fine. I mean, _you_ know the seekers seem to like some bots. Starscream _totally_ was feeling you up."

Optimus gives her a shuddering look, and says in a voice blank with quiet horror, "Oh, I know."

It occurs to him that the Seeker might not have shown up in his berth accidentally after all, and he shoves the thought as far back into his processor as possible. He does _not_ have time to be thinking such awful things.

"Just be careful, Sari. I want to believe that they want peace, but considering their past, we cannot offer them unconditional trust." He already wishes they hadn't offered the Seekers the chance to come visit their brother whenever they liked.

* * *

Optimus onlines slowly, saturated in warmth. Arms wrap around him, and, half-conscious, he snuggles into them until he feels soft digits brushing on his sparkplates. Onlining his optics, he stares down at the overlarge servos ghosting his frame in confusion. It isn't until there's a wet kiss on his neck that he realizes exactly what's happening.

Bolting away, he's suddenly on the opposite side of the room, right next to his door. Staring wide-opticked and breathing hard at the seeker stretched almost lazily on his berth. "Oh, come now, Optimus," the seeker calls, in what could _almost_ be a seductive tone if it had been _anyone but him_.

At least Starscream's own plates are closed this time, Optimus almost sighs with relief. "There's been some sort of misunderstanding, Starscream," he starts slowly, "you do not need to do this to secure the safety of your fellow Seeker, or the ... alliance between us."

The jet strokes his own cockpit languidly, the glass _slowly_ starting to retract, "There's no misunderstanding, Optimus."

He fights the urge to cover his optics again. No, I'll just, Skywarp is recovering well, and he and Scatterstar—and you and your Seekers—are all welcome here on our base. I, uh," he fumbles for words, "would you like some energon? We have plenty out in the common area. If you would just," he waves a servo at Starscream's chest, "you could come with me and we can discuss ... things."

Starscream's claws continue to pet his cockpit, but it starts to close again, making Optimus relax minutely. The seeker stands slowly, walking towards him, almost like a stalking cat as he purrs, "Well, I am certainly open for ... discussion, Opimus."

The autobot just barely manages not to back away when Starscream puts a servo on his shoulder, claws rubbing what would be soothing circles, and the other servo on Optimus's hip. "We have much to ... talk about."

The firetruckbot steps out from under the touch. "Yes. _Talk_. Which would be best facilitated if we manage to get some energon in our systems first." It was important not to antagonize one's allies, even if their status as same was somewhat questionable. Really, it was more that they were peeved at the Decepticon main forces and intended to stay out of direct conflict with either side for the indefinite future.

His processor ache was back.

The Seeker follows sedately behind him, and makes little approving noises—Optimus hopes he isn't staring at his aft.

They make it to the energon dispenser with minimal incident, Starscream only tries running a servo over him once, and Optimus hands him a cube, then sits _very carefully_ between Bulkhead and Prowl so Starscream can't 'accidentally' keep brushing up against him.

He notes that all the other seekers are here as well, but Sunstorm is the only one that isn't harass-_disturbing_ a random autobot. He looks at Slipstream who has both of the jet twins sitting next to her as she pets them, and mentally corrects that to 'or two.'

Starscream looks disappointed, but Optimus ignores his pouting. The Seekers are up to _something_, though he cannot determine what precisely. Since Starscream made it clear this wasn't about payment or thanks, he can't assume the others are doing it for that reason either. He'd almost say they were trying to forge stronger alliances with his staff through the berth, but that was ... mostly ridiculous.

He sips his energon, wondering how long he can get away with silence before he needs to deal with the many endless tasks of command.

He's just finishing his cube when one of the bots whispers in his audio about a call from that very command. Biting back a groan, he nods and goes to answer it. Ignoring the Seeker as Starscream follows him, Optimus stands up straight, hating to sit in the chair so early in the solar cycle.

Which may have been a bad idea because there's a soft clatter that can only be a seeker lounging lazily behind him.

"Optimus Prime, we need to discuss some of your decisio—is that a Decepticon behind you?" the bureaucrat pauses.

Optimus forces an expression of neutrality. "Yes, it is. Starscream, leader of the Seekers. The one with whom we have tentatively allied ourselves."

Starscream leans over Optimus's shoulder, waving cheerily at the screen. "And let me say, it's been a very ... pleasant alliance thus far." His servo drops to stroke down one of Optimus's arms.

The Autobot just barely manages not to yank away, but it is a very near thing. He isn't sure if Starscream noticed, but the bot on com certainly did. Optimus pushes on, trying to ignore Starscream as the seeker is very obviously wondering where a good place to grab him is so that Optimus lands on him. "Which decisions did you wish to discuss?"

The bot clears his throat, and glances at the seeker licking his lips as he stares at Optimus. "I don't think they are appropriate to talk about while ... he is there."

Optimus looks down at Starscream, who is just about to run a claw along the firetruckbot's leg, and moves deftly out of the way. "Starscream."

The seeker stops trying to molest him. "Yes, Optimus?" he says, in a voice full of promise for the berth, and Optimus shudders before he can stop himself. The jet seems to take that as encouragement, reaching a servo out toward his chest plate, not seeming to notice as the bureaucrat watches in silent horror. "Was there something you... needed?"

The seeker starts to stand, and Optimus says quickly, "Yes! I think you should go make sure your fellow seekers are doing what they're supposed to be doing."

"... as you wish, Optimus," Starscream purrs, claws caressing his fellow leader's chest, slightly digging into his seams. Optimus turns back with a relieved sigh, missing Starscream's murderous look at the bureaucrat as he skulks out.

The bot coughs uncomfortably. "So, I can assume you're regretting your decision to allow them on the Autobot base?"

Optimus lets his optics offline for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before straightening again, "I can not regret the opportunity to forge peace and stop this war. Even if their personalities take some ... some getting used to."

"Mmhm." The bureaucrat doesn't seem convinced. "While that was a fascinating bit of interaction, I actually contacted you to discuss your supply requisitions. The council doesn't believe you need quite as much as you are asking for."

"We do," and Optimus settles in to the same argument he's been having every few decacycles since they promoted him. Primus, he needs a secretary to handle these documentation and paperwork requirements. He wonders if Scatterstar would be amenable to taking the position.

By the time the com call is over, he has a processor ache, and he's stepping out _just_ as the seekers are leaving. He almost steps back in when Starscream notices him, but manages to force himself to stay still. The seeker pounces him with a happy cry, and runs both of his servos over his aft while murmuring increasingly filthy things.

Pushing him away, he says, "Uh ... yes. I'll ... miss you, too." His expression is pained as he says it, but Starscream smirks and yanks him into a rough kiss before taking off with his group. It takes everything he has not to spit the taste of seeker from his mouth.

He gives the room a challenging stare, daring _any_ of them to make light of this, and wisely no one says anything. Though he doesn't want to risk getting overcharged, he picks up a half cube of energon and drinks it down. No matter how much he wants to punch the Seeker right in his smug face, he cannot allow himself that luxury.

He'll try to discourage the Seeker again, tell him up-front that he has no desire to interface with him; that Starscream should seek a more suitable partner. Surely he's a reasonable mech.

* * *

Several solar cycles later, Optimus is staring at his door in the small hope that he won't find Starscream on the other side. He's just glad he finally managed to lock it well enough the mech can't break in before he wakes up. Shaking his head, he forces himself to stride out of his room like the autobot leader he is, and not the scared little sparkling he's feelng like.

It doesn't stop him from jumping back into his room when he hears a loud noise that _could_ have been Starscream ... even though it was really just one of the larger bots walking too hard.

Poking his head out cautiously, he walks to the common area, getting a cube of energon. Raising an optic in frank amazement at Bee, as the minibot looks around the place in astonishment. Optimus is confused about Bee's confusion until he realizes exactly _why_ the yellow bot doesn't know what's going on. This is the first time he's been awake while the seekers were here.

"Optimus," Bee hisses to him, "there are _Decepticons_ on our base. Why?"

"Yes, well, they're here for their fellow Seeker, Bumblebee. And they've promised to behave." Though considering how Starscream defines 'behaving,' Optimus doesn't hold out much hope for them. He'd told the Seeker he didn't want to interface, and Starscream had taken it as some sort of _challenge_.

"But Sunstorm keeps _smiling_ at me, Boss-bot," and really, is _that_ what Bumblebee has chosen to complain about? Primus, at least Sunstorm isn't showing up in Bee's berth.

"Yes, they certainly do seem," he pauses, searches for a word, "friendly." Though again, "friend" to a Seeker seems to translate as "berth partner." He eyes Starscream nervously.

"But it creeps me out!" Bee almost shouts, horrified and angry. Optimus looks at Starscream warily, the seeker's attention having been caught. But he returns to talk to Arcee about something that can't be good, what with all the ripping motions they are using.

Putting a servo on Bee's shoulder as he talks, "We're trying to forge a lasting alliance here, Bumblebee. Just try to avoid him if you can."

"But _everyone but you_ keeps shoving me closer!"

"I know it seems difficult right now, Bumblebee, but it's important that we don't antagonize them when they try to make gestures of good will."

Bee shots him a dark look, "You only say that because you don't have a Seeker peeping in your window every night."

And he doesn't really have a response to that, since he's fairly sure that's exactly what Starscream would do if he hadn't already blocked it up to prevent it.

The minibot storms away from him, but Optimus is drawn to the way Starscream is smiling at Arcee, patting her on the shoulder, and _turning to face Optimus_. Frag.

Optimus checks and then double-checks his schedule for the day, but he has nothing _urgent_ that can be used an excuse for another megacycle or so.

"Optimus, may I speak to you in private for a moment?" the Seeker queries, looking far too innocent. However, after several solar cycles of this, Optimus knows that this request really means 'Can I drag you into a storage closet and touch you inappropriately until someone comes looking for spare datapads and interrupts us, saving and destroying your dignity all at once?"

Optimus's processor stalls as Starscream puts a servo over his, before screaming back to light. "I'm sorry, but I can't. That's a very important elite guard only meeting just about to start."

The seeker raises an optic ridge, looking over at various elite guards with a seeker holding them on their lap, or trying desperately to _get_ the attention of a seeker. "Is there any reason why none of the other bots are getting ready for this?"

The larger mech leans in close, clearly just about to kiss him again, and Optimus ducks. "... it's a secret meeting."

Starscream _smirks_ at him. "Is this secret meeting taking place in your quarters, under your berth?"

"... nnnnnnnoooo?" And Optimus makes a break for it.

* * *

Dating Sunstorm seems to be working out well for Bumblebee, if the human news report is to be trusted. They had actually cut into one of the regularly scheduled programs to share the "shocking news" of "Robots: dating?" Primus, Optimus wishes he didn't have to watch this, but it was his duty to keep on top of his subordinates' relationships in case one of them went sour, and with this much public attention, they would need to try and spin it as positively as possible.

"We've just received footage from more than a dozen sources that will change the way you view these 'robotic aliens' permanently," the cheery female host informs the camera, and Optimus feels his spark quake with fear. Please, please let there be not even a _hint_ of spark in that footage.

They all turn as one when Bee comes tromping into the base, apparently attempting stealth judging by the way he's hunched over in an elaborate creeping pose. He's also crusted with some kind of green algae. The female anchor speaks again, ever helpful, "Giant robots: not as genderless as we think? We _just_ got footage of a pair of robots going out on what could only be called a date. The pair crosses faction lines, one being a member of the 'hero' robots and one of the 'evil' flying robots. Shown here drinking a viscous neon pink liquid from cubes on top of a building while holding hands, and here by a lake, kissing vigorously. Which brings us to our topic, can robots be female?"

Sari does not help matters as she laughs hysterically at him. Optimus's optics are drawn toward the denta marks on Bee's horn, not even paying attention as the minibot talks about his date. Turning back to the screen, he watches in quiet terror as they show Bee getting kissed and caressed. Thankfully, there isn't even a _hint_ of a spark, so he calms down slightly.

Still, this is going to be a nightmare for public relations. Bee stomps out of the room and Optimus carefully notes the name of the news station reporting this, getting up to visit his office. They would likely not mind if he shared some basic information with them, including the fact that Bumblebee was indeed a mech, and not a femme.

Really though, Ratchet and Arcee would make a better public face for their romance than Bumblee and Sunstorm. Perhaps he can get the station to agree to follow both couples? It would help spread the attention a bit, and even the organics should be able to appreciate how obviously in love the medic and femme are.

He arranges it fairly easily, telling the stations that they'll be informed when they get everything set up. When he hangs up, he drops his head on his desk, tired and stressed beyond belief. He starts to rubs his temples, and doesn't notice at first when a set of claws joins his servos. Letting his arms drop, he leans back into the touch that moves from his head to his shoulders.

Optimus sighs happily, letting the servos work away his tension until there's a soft kiss on the nape of his neck. He goes tense completely when Starscream purrs, "Hello, Optimus. You looked like you need to relax. I can help with that."

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm afraid I must decline," he leans towards the console, away from the Seeker at his back. "I still have far too much work to do."

Starscream's servos grip his shoulders firmly, pulling him back. "You're horribly tense. You can work while I relax you." The Seeker's claws stroke his shoulders and neck, up to his helmet to rub away the tension again, and Optimus can't help but groan his relief.

He sees the light flashing on his monitor, "You need to stop. I have to take this call."

Starscream murmurs in his audio, "Take it while I help you, Prime. There's no shame in accepting a bit of ... comfort."

"No. You need to leave. This is official Elite Guard business, and I'm sure your Seekers are waiting for you."

Starscream drops his servos, and Optimus is not going to dwell on how much he misses the contact. The possibly-former Decepticon kisses him on the temple, saying, "They can wait a little longer, Optimus. They're full grown bots."

Optimus ducks another kiss. "No, Starscream. I need to be alone for this."

The jet huffs and starts to leave, but not before kissing him again. "You _will_ let me do this later, Optimus."

He dreads the "later," and accepts the call, brightening slightly when he realizes it's Ultra Magnus. "It's good to hear from you again, sir."

"From you as well, Optimus," Ultra Magnus smiles. "I hear you've been forging some interesting alliances."

"Interesting" is certainly one word for them. He settles in to discuss strategy with the Magnus.

* * *

Optimus has never been more thankful for his battle mask, because it's doing a decent job of hiding his expressions every time Starscream shouts something lewd and inappropriate at him across the battlefield.

On the positive side, they've managed to draw the Decepticons away from Sumdac Tower and the technology they'd been intending to steal. On the negative side, the Seekers have come to heckle and taunt from the sidelines. Or, in Starscream's case, shout obscene suggestions.

It does not help that every time the seeker makes a comment, Megatron gets angrier and angrier. Before the Decepticon leader was on the opposite side of the battlefield, but now he's making his way towards Optimus.

Starscream says something about 'rewarding' him for winning this by plugging in more and more cables, and all he can do is shudder in revulsion. Dodging a hit from one of the Decepticons, he winces as the Seeker says something about being as nimble in the berth.

He wants to scream at the Seeker; tell him to shut up, but he can't stop fighting long enough to do so. The Decepticons are particularly fierce this solar cycle—likely due to the loss of the Seekers, and the vicious taunts those Seekers keep throwing at them. Megatron cuts his way through to Optimus, shoving the Decepticons fighting him to one side.

"This one is _mine_ to offline," he growls, red optics lit with fury. Optimus wishes he knew why Megatron was so extremely upset with him specifically.

"No," Starscream interrupts, voice low and seductive, "he's _mine_, Megatron."

Optimus doesn't even have time to react when he's yanked into the seeker's arms, bent backwards, his battlemask removed, and a glossa shoved into his throat. All he can do is cling so he doesn't _fall on the ground_, and Starscream breaks the kiss, looking incredibly pleased with himself. Optimus is just about to wipe his mouth in disgust when he's thrown over Starscream's shoulder with his arms pinned.

"I don't feel like waiting any longer, Optimus," Starscream's claws stroke the transformation seams on his hips and thighs. "We're going back to your berth _right now_." Optimus would have punched him this time, and frag his duties as a leader, had his arms been free. "I want to see how many cables I can link with you before you offline, my pretty little bot."

Punch him right in the face. Optimus can hear Megatron's increasingly enraged cursing from below them, and a few shots from his fusion cannon actually burn the air near them as Starscream flies them away.

When the cackling bot sets him down, Optimus takes a calming breath, and queries softly, "Starscream?"

The seeker beams. "Yessss, Optimussss?" He leans down low, close enough to kiss.

"I'm going to murder you."

Starscream gives him a confused look, and Optimus takes that time to get out his axe and swing it at his head.

* * *

Optimus blinks his optics sleepily, staring up at his ceiling. He prays briefly to Primus that Starscream will have found something fascinating on the moon and have decided not to come down for a visit. Crawling out of his berth, he runs a polishing cloth over himself, frowns at his reflection and considers the job well-done enough to suit his purposes.

The Seekers are all seated at a table together, and Bee is sitting on Sunstorm's lap, which seems rather cute to Optimus in his half-online state. He starts to wander to the energon dispenser when an arm wraps itself around his waist, and a cube of energon appears in front of him like magic. Optimus takes a sip. Delicious.

"You're adorable just out of recharge, Optimus," Starscream whispers in his audio. "You'd look better underneath me, with your pretty spark exposed." He scratches Optimus's windshield lightly, "I bet you'd like that, having claws playing with that spark. Or maybe you'd like it better if Blackarachnia were there with us. We could both link cables with you at the same time, tease your little spark together until you overload for us."

Optimus drops his cube out of shock, spilling the energon all over himself. Starscream scoops him into his arms, walking past the table.

"Just let me clean this up."

"No, that's really not necessary-"

"Oh, but I insist, seeing as it was my fault, my dear Optimus."

"No, I am perfectly cap-"

"Don't be silly, this is the perfect opportunity for you to see how well I can use my glossa."

Optimus is disgustingly familiar with this particular supply closet, because it is Starscream's favorite. He claims it's the only one nearby that's large enough for him to move comfortably in. All it means now is that it's easier for Starscream to push him to the ground and pin him.

"I'm so terribly sorry to have startled you," he lies, dragging his glossa slowly up Optimus's chest. Optimus fights the urge to fidget and squirm. He doesn't want to look helpless. "Mm. You 'bots have a very good blend of energon." Starscream flicks his glossa in tiny little licks against Optimus' windshield glass, and Optimus hates that he can't stop the shudder and rev of engine that causes.

"Look, Starscream," he objects, "this isn't ... efficient. Just let me clean up with a rag."

The seeker hums, glossa flicking again. "Don't need efficiency when the cleaning is so fun, Optimus." A long slow lick, directly up the center of the panel. "Don't you agr-"

He's cut off by the slamming open of the closet's door, and a frantic bot going, "Optimus, sir! Ultra Magnus is on the com! He says it's urgent!" The bot hops ped to ped, and Optimus shoves Starscream off of him.

"Oh, thank Primus!"

Optimus is out the door as quickly as possible, leaving a protesting Seeker behind him. He doesn't even care that he's still streaked with energon. Ultra Magnus will understand. Or, well, he hopes he doesn't understand the reason for it, but will understand why he's not in perfect, polished condition while on duty. He accepts the call in his office, after locking his door with as many locks as possible, including the wedging of one chair under the doorknob.

"Ultra Magnus, sir, you have the best timing of any bot I've ever met," Optimus praises him.

The Magnus starts to reply, before pausing, taking in the appearance of his subordinate. "Is that energon on your chest?"

Optimus refuses to blush. "It's a long story, sir. Nothing to worry about. I was told this call was urgent?"

"Yes, well, I believe that excitable little bot may have," he shakes his head a bit, "overstated the significance of my message." He smiles, "Another bot who seems to be under the impression that simply because I am a Magnus, I cannot be calling simply to check on a ... valued companion."

Optimus smiles at him, pulling out a cloth to clean himself up as they both talk, catching up with what the other has been doing.

* * *

The next day Optimus is sitting at his desk, going through paperwork he never should have let pile up like this. A pair of arms slide over his shoulders, and he just barely stops himself from sighing out loud. "Is there something you needed, Starscream?"

"Do I need a reason to visit my favorite autobot?" Optimus grabs the Seeker's servo before it can start to pet his chest, making Starscream pout, but he stops trying to touch him. Instead he lounges over his desk, somehow contorting himself on the desk enough not to spill any of the paperwork. "What was the urgent call about yesterday?"

Optimus lets a tiny smile show through at the thought of it. "That was just Ultra Magnus. It wan't really as important as the bot said it was."

Starscream's expression goes from seductive to irritated for some reason that's beyond the firetruckbot, "I don't think I _like_ this Ultra Magnus."

"I like him," Optimus smiles, then rifles through the papers. Humans used far too much of it—he wished they'd update to the more sensible datapads the bots used. He eyes the pile of datapads. Not that they mean any less actual work for himself.

Starscream pulls Optimus forward without warning, kissing him demandingly, glossa sweeping into his mouth. Eager claws dip into his sparkplate seams, and Optimus remembers himself, pushing away from the other bot. "No. Just, no, Starscream. I'm busy." He sits down, venting air hard.

The Seeker shoves the piles of paper and datapads to the floor. "You're not busy now."

Optimus sighs, and shakes his head. "You know that isn't going to work. You're _supposed_ to be here to visit your recovering seeker. Why don't you?"

The jet makes a dismissing gesture, "Saw him. He's still terrified of his shadow and can't fly. Not half as interesting as you, Optimus."

"I have work to do, Starscream. It's not going to go away if I just ignore it," he says, and kneels to pick up scattered reports and forms he still has to evaluate and fill out. "You're going to have to entertain yourself for a while."

"Entertain myself," the Seeker murmurs. "Oh, Optimus, I had no idea you wanted to watch me entertain myself in your office. You've got depths I hadn't even imagined."

Optimus is up and shoving Starscream out of his office before he even thinks, shouting at the Seeker to leave, slamming the door behind him, locking it firmly, and leaning against it, shuddering unhappily.

* * *

He finishes the reports in record time, though he doesn't catch the fact that he's been given duplicates until he rereads and comments on three separate mission reports that seem eerily familiar to him. It's well past the time he normally gets himself a half cube of energon, or at the very least, a bit of oil to drink, so he carefully unlocks his office. If Starscream is waiting just outside his door, he cannot be held responsible for his actions.

Luckily, no Seekers are haunting this hallway, and he's able to make it to the common room unmolested. Optimus sits on the couch with half a cube of mixed oil and energon, basking in the opportunity to relax for a while.

He almost chokes when Sunstorm strides into the room with Bumblebee in his arms, the most smug and victorious look Optimus has ever seen on the Seeker's face. Well, if they hadn't been interfacing before, they certainly were now. As a leader, he should keep an optic on that relationship; as a friend, he wants to go over and tease Bee a bit.

The Seeker picks up energon and drops into a chair, placing Bee securely on his lap.

"Did you recharge well, Bumblebee?" Optimus asks, hiding his smile by drinking some of his energon blend.

The minibot coughs guiltily, and looks anywhere but at him and Sunstorm. "Just fine, boss-bot. Don't worry about it. I hadawonderfulrecharge. Couldn'tbebetter."

Optimus raises an optic ridge, letting his smile show. "Starting to sound like Blurr there, Bee. You may want to calm down."

"Calm down?" Bee squeaks, "There's nothing to calm down over. Nothingatall."

Optimus sets his empty cube aside, to be washed by the bots he has on any of the punishment details. Processor-numbing work seems quite effective at keeping his staff from falling asleep on monitor duty. He has a meeting scheduled half a megacycle from now, but nothing pressing until then. "I hope you're happy with him, Bee."

Bee flushes and flails his servos about, managing to say nothing comprehensible at all, which Optimus takes as a 'yes, I am.' Sunstorm just nuzzles the minibot, licking one of his horns playfully. Optimus shudders; he could live without seeing that, thank you.

He starts to get up, only to have Starscream slide onto the couch next to him, and get tugged into the Seeker's lap. Sighing irritably, he shoves his hand into the jet's face to forestall any kisses.

Bee is watching him curiously now, and Optimus feels the need to deflect that attention. "Don't forget that you need to visit Sari and her father tomorrow, Bumblebee. You promised to help them with some prototype rockets they're testing."

"Oh slag yeah," Bee bounces excitedly, apparently too distracted by the thought of dangerous speeds to notice the way Starscream keeps brushing his claws over Optimus's frame. "It's gonna be amazing!"

Optimus ducks a kiss. "You may want to talk to Sari about it, since you've been kind of busy."

"No, I already did yesterday. While we were playing video games."

Starscream glares down at Optimus, but stops trying to kiss him, just continuing to run his claws along his frame. Thankfully not on his chestplates. "Good. She'd been worried you forgot about her. We all were when you kept hiding."

"Yeah, well," he stops bouncing, "I won't be hiding anymore. Since, you know," he waves a servo at himself and Sunstorm, "this." Starscream's claws dance over a bit of sensitive plating on one thigh, making one of Optimus's optics twitch. Bee tips his head to one side, considering the pair of them. "Hey, Boss-bot, are you and Starscream-"

"Busy?" Sunstorm interrupts, standing up with Bee still in his arms. "Yes, I think they are, my sweet Bee." He kisses the top of Bee's helmet, "As I think we will be, in a few kliks, if I have my way." The Seeker nuzzles him. "I think we should bring spare energon with us, so we won't need to leave your adorably tiny room to refuel again."

Bee starts to protest, but melts into his Seeker when he's being kissed. Optimus watches at they grab a far greater number of energon cubes of than are really needed and go back to Bee's room. The firetruckbot unconsiously shudders into Starscream's frame, not even realizing as he's getting petted.

"It is always nice to see a new couple, isn't it Optimus?" Starscream murmurs into his audio, and runs a claw just above his aft.

"'Nice' is not precisely the word I would use for it, Starscream," Optimus shifts to get away from the touch, aware of the other bots slowly filing into the room on break. "And I would appreciate not being put on your lap every time you see me. I am not a pet."

Starscream kisses one of his head fins, "I agree. You're much more than a pet."

Autobots do not punch allies in the spark, especially when those allies do not even have a spark to hit. Autobots do not punch allies that can easily switch sides again, no matter how much those allies deserve to be punched. Autobots do not-

Optimus vents air hard, jerking his head away from the Seeker. "I have a meeting."

The seeker laughs, letting him go, and stretches out on the couch, servo running down Optimus's side as the smaller mech stands up. "Have fun, Optimus. I look forward to seeing you when you return."

Optimus eyes the thin scratches all over his form with disgust. Seeker claws are dangerously sharp, but he knows Starscream left these on purpose. He steps into his office to collect himself before the meeting he has scheduled with his command team. The other Seekers have all chosen bots that seem enthusiastic about the matches. Why has Starscream latched onto him?

Then again, he supposes it's not really fair to wish Starscream's affections on some other unfortunate bot.

* * *

Optimus is sitting with his team while they watch Bee and Sari play a video game. Jazz, Sunstorm, and Arcee are all off doing missions or whatever it is that Seekers do in their own time. He is happily sandwiched between Bulkhead and Ratchet. Even if Ratchet is fretting about Arcee being all right.

Smiling over at him, he pats the medic on the shoulder. "Don't worry. She can take care of herself."

Ratchet snorts, looking away, "I'm not worried."

"It's okay to be worried, Ratchet," Bulkhead advises, "It can get really dangerous out there. But Arcee's great. She's not gonna get caught."

The medic crosses his arms over his chest. "Already said I wasn't worried."

Bee wins a level—or Optimus assumes he wins something, because he gets up and does a horrible little victory dance.

He's distracted from Bee's gloating by a pair of beclawed servos gliding down his chest. It is all he can do not to punch Starscream in his face, when the Seeker kisses him gently on his temple.

"I was going to join you, but you are with your ... family. It is always good to be with them. I should most likely do this as well. Have fun, Optimus," he says softly, but loudly enough for even Sari to hear, just before kissing Optimus again, almost lovingly, and walking off.

His team stare at him in silence for a minute, before Bee breaks it: "So you do have something going on with Starscream."

"Primus," Ratchet curses, disbelieving. "I'd heard the rumors, but figured that's all they were. You can't really ... with _Starscream_?"

Optimus rubs his forehead lightly, "Yes and no to both of you." It's far too complicated to explain the twisted dance he is doing with the lead Seeker.

Bulkhead frowns, but it is Prowl who says, "Would you like to explain?"

Optimus looks around the room, and suddenly there are bots that are intensely interested in the ceiling or floor. "Not right now, Prowl. Maybe another time."

He doesn't want to explain his situation to his friends; not really, in any case. He tolerates Starscream's advances for the good of their alliance, because he doesn't want a weaker-willed bot to fall prey to him. And after the battle with Megatron, Optimus has several suspicions about what the Seeker is doing, and absolutely no desire to risk any other bots until he knows for sure if his suspicions are true.

Better that they think he is at least mostly willing in this farce of a relationship. He leans back, smiles at his friends, "You never told me if those tests with the rockets were successful, Bumblebee." He doesn't want pity.

As both Bee and Sari start chattering happily about it, Optimus lets their voices wash over him as he sinks into the happiness that comes from being safe, particularly from being safe with his family.

* * *

The next day, he's sitting next to Starscream. Not in his lap, since the mech seems to realize Optimus _really_ doesn't like that. Both are working on datapads, and Optimus vaguely wonders if all the seekers are going to try living on base now, but realizes that's incredibly unlikely. Seekers love to fly, and he realizes that the trip between the moon and earth is about the most fun they can have.

He barely even notices as Starscream runs a claw along his inner thigh, just pushing him away without even thinking about it.

Apparently finished with his own work, Starscream sets his datapads aside, tapping the one Optimus is holding. "Is this anything vital?"

It is, in fact, a series of incident reports from various mechs and femmes. Incident reports that take describe in loving detail all the times the bots have walked in on other Elite Guards interfacing with Seekers. The 'incidents' seem to boil down to 'am jealous, want Seeker of my own.' "No. It's nothing important." It actually makes Optimus want to gouge his own optics out.

"Good," the Seeker purrs, taking it from him to toss to one side, "then you won't mind putting it off until later." He pulls the firetruckbot onto his lap and kisses him, glossa teasing gently over his own.

Optimus sighs into the kiss, because yes, Starscream is very good at this, but Optimus still has no desire to interface with him. And this is not how he wants to be spending his time.

When the seeker puts his servos on Optimus's chest, they are gently pushed down to the side. By this point Optimus has learned absolute refusal means the crazy jet will try even harder, so he will just let him do this. Even if it means stopping wandering servos when he gets too eager.

He's just about to get picked up and put on the desk, he can feel Starscream shift under him in the tell-tale warning, when a knock comes from the door. Pulling away, he shifts back to sitting next to the seeker, ignoring his obvious irritation, and calls, "Come on in."

Jazz peers inside. "Hey, I don't mean to intrude or anything, but your Seekers are getting in a pretty nasty fight, Starscream." He leans against the wall next to the door, arms crossed casually in front of him. "We all know they'll be fine if they offline each other, but not everyone's as cool with it, you know?"

Starscream curses. "I'll deal with this." He pulls Optimus forward, kisses him again. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Optimus."

"Take your time," Optimus offers, because he hopes it takes megacycles.

When Starscream is well out of hearing range, Jazz shuts the door and gives Optimus a frank look. .. "You mind if we talk informally, OP?"

Optimus smiles at him tiredly. "Not at all, Jazz. Have a seat." He glances around, and clears off one of the chairs for the carbot.

Jazz sits down. "You doing okay?" Optimus opens his mouth to say that he's just fine, but Jazz continues before he can start: "Because we're worried about you. Prowl and the rest of us see how you jump at shadows like they're going to pull you into a closet, and we've all seen Starscream do that to you. We realize that you and Starscream aren't really a couple, and you just seem to be going along with it because you have to."

Optimus raises his servos a bit defensively. "Nothing of the sort is going on, Jazz. It's true that Starscream's attentions are a bit more ... enthusiastic than I'd like, but I'm fine."

"Prowl thinks you're touch-starved," Jazz explains, "and you're letting Starscream get away with this because he's the only one you think you can allow to touch you. We just want to let you know that there are ... other options." Jazz rests a hand on Optimus's shoulder, rubbing gently. "You don't have to turn to Starscream for this."

"'We'?" Optimus asks, a bit numb, because Jazz can't possibly be ... hitting on him. Or offering what he thinks he's offering. Jazz is with Prowl.

"Prowl and me, OP. We're happy to be there with you if you want us."

Optimus gives him a blank look,."Does Prowl realize you're offering this?"

"It was his idea." Jazz gives him an unreadable look, and stands up. "Just... think about it, OP. We don't like you getting hurt."

He starts to head for the door, but turns back when Optimus says to him, "I can't, Jazz. You two are together, and I can't do this."

Jazz frowns at him, studying Optimus's face, then nods. "I'll tell him I tried. Just remember we're willing if you change your mind."

* * *

Starscream finds the Nemesis much less interesting in recent solar cycles. At any given night, at least half of his Seekers are down at the Autobot base with their lovers, enjoying interfaces that Starscream was being denied by his own little Autobot. It was beginning to hurt his ego a bit. Had Optimus had his sparkplates welded shut?

He sighs, perks up at a message from Megatron. Has he finally conceded? He opens the attachment, expecting Megatron apologizing, or Megatron begging Starscream to come to his berth, or _anything_ except for Megatron opening Blackarachnia's chest plates and exposing her spark. Primus only knew how he'd convinced her to do so, but Starscream had to admit it was a very lovely spark, and she and Megatron did look exceptionally good together. Still, he was absolutely furious at the grey and red mech.

This was a breach of their unwritten rules. Starscream couldn't take revenge and destroy Megatron's lover when that lover was Blackarachnia. Rage boiled inside him; how _dare_ Megatron do this?

Cursing loudly and angrily, he storms past Slipstream, shoving her out of the way, and heads straight to the launching pad. He's going to interface the frag out of Optimus, and send the video to Megatron out of revenge for this. Teach that spawn of Unicron not to mess with the rules of the game.

He can't kill Blackarachnia, since Optimus is so clearly still in love with the groundpounder techno-organic. And doing that will just ruin any chance he has already.

He's cursing Megatron's name as he lands on the Autobot base, not caring who hears him. Shoving past that ninjabot his firetruck is so fond of, Starscream snarls angrily. He just barely manages not to push bots into the walls when he gets to Optimus's room. He forces his way in, and slams the door behind him.

Just about to start screaming at the top of his audio, he stops, and notices that Optimus is curled up in a tiny little ball on his berth, horribly depressed.

Frag. Looks like his Autobot is far more upset about this than Starscream had anticipated. "He sent you the vid too?" It's pretty obvious he must have, but Optimus shakes his head and answers him with a burst of static before managing to get his vocals functioning.

"No," he whispers, "_she_ sent it." Starscream winces. He doesn't know the backstory there, but he does know that his little firetruck is, or was, in love with the spiderbot. Backarachnia could get vicious.

He sits on the berth beside Optimus, not touching him yet. "I don't need to ask if you're alright, then."

The firetruck just shudders sadly and doesn't even bother to turn away; that's when Starscream realizes how utterly sparkbroken Optimus is. He contorts himself into the Autobot's ridiculously tiny berth, and pulls him against his chest. Gently petting his side, he kisses the top of head. "I'll be here for you, Optimus. Don't worry."

Optimus turns over, and starts to crack open his sparkplates, making Starscream curse in his head. Fragging Autobot chooses now to show he's not completely sparkless. But the seeker doesn't want him when he's so clearly broken and hurting. It was a game to see how far he could push, tease, and pull. Seeing Optimus next to him like he's only doing this because he thinks Starscream will leave if he won't ... it just makes him depressed.

Instead, Starscream kisses him again, gently pushing his plates shut. "No. No. We aren't, Optimus. I know what it is like to love someone who kicks you when you're down and hurting. I'm not leaving you just because you won't interface with me. I thought I showed you that already."

Optimus makes a quiet noise against him, his engine grinding with misery. Starscream just strokes the tiny bot, holding him even when he feels the smaller bot start to shake with what he knows are silent sobs. With the bot broken like this, Starscream is going to have to set aside a few of his plans and shuffle a few others. He's going to have to plan serious revenge for Megatron as well, which has just become significantly harder, seeing as he doesn't imagine he'll be interfacing Optimus for quite some time. If Blackarachnia truly has sent the footage to Optimus herself, she'llbe needing something nasty exploding in her face as well.

Starscream rocked the smaller bot slowly, letting him cry himself into recharge. Knowing Megatron as well as he did, it was entirely possible the mech had gotten Shockwave to send the video with Blackarachnia's frequencies. Perhaps he'd slip one of his minibots a rifle next time he saw one.

The solar cycle dawns too early and too bright, but Starscream doesn't pay it much mind. He gets out of the berth slowly, kneeling low on the ground to look at Optimus shift in his recharge for several long kliks. He runs a gentle servo over the firetruck's worried face, and stands up.

Sighing down at him in frustration, Starscream heads out of the door, and straight into that damned motorcycle ninjabot. Sneering at his questioning and worried look, the seeker takes off to get both him and Optimus a few cubes of energon.

He shakes his head at Slipstream when she shoots him a questioning look from across the room, and heads back. The ninjabot is knocking on the door, and calling to Optimus, but getting no answer. He just barely doesn't shove him away. Instead, he hands him the cubes, and opens the door, grabbing them again before slamming it in the mech's surprised face.

"Optimus," he gently shakes the firetruck's shoulder, encouraging him to online. "I brought energon."

Optimus onlines his optics, looking so confused and adorable that the Seeker wants to kiss him very much right then. He refrains from it somehow.

Starscream almost feels bad for getting him up and running. His dazed, energon-depleted bot looks so much more content, and he knows once the energon hits his systems, he's going to remember the file he received. Preemptively, he pulls the smaller bot on his lap and wraps his arms around him.

Gently putting the cube in the Autobot's servos, he kisses his forehead. Making sure he drinks, he sips on his own cube, holding him tight. Optimus drinks enough to realize what happened, and Starscream somehow manages to catch the cube before it falls and spills.

Setting the both of their cubes down, he gently rocks the smaller mech back and forth, singing softly. He doesn't know that many songs, but is only on the second when there comes a sharp and angry knocking at the door. Optimus tenses in his arms from the sound, and he gently pets him to soothe him.

"Let us in!"

That would be the techno-organic yellow bot... Sorry? Sori? Whatever her name is, she isn't getting in, if Starscream has anything to say about it. Not with the way Optimus flinches at her voice.

"Optimus and I are ... busy," he lets a smirk creep into his tone, "you should try coming back later."

There's silence, and then a " ... _gross_!" and the sound of tiny feet running off.

Starscream strokes his firetruck. "In fact," he raises his voice, "you should cancel any appointments for Optimus today. We'll be too ... busy for them."

More bots leave at that, but the ninjabot chooses that moment to voice his unwanted questions, "Optimus, I think we'd all prefer to hear this from _you_."

Optimus raises his head wearily, staring at the closed door. "I'm fine, Prowl. Just ... come back later."

"Very well, but I will be returning."

There's no sound of him leaving, but Starscream is well aware that ninjabots are notoriously hard to hear unless they want to be heard. He pets Optimus gently, and kisses his forehead. He was about to softly reassure him when there's another knock on the door.

Starscream yells at the door, "I told you, we are busy. Go away!"

"Don't you give me that, slagger! You're going to give me an explanation!" comes Slipstream's dulcet tones. Starscream growls irritably, and carries Optimus to the door, opening it to let her in.

She pushes her way into the room, shutting the door behind them. "I know you didn't interface, Screamer."

He holds Optimus in his arms, cradling the smaller mech protectively. "We could have. But Megatron sent a very ... upsetting video to the both of us."

"More upsetting than the normal homemade spark videos he sends you?"

Optimus shudders in his arms and Starscream glares at his female clone. "Yes. More upsetting than that. But I'm offering Optimus comfort during his time of need. So, neither of us need you here, though I'd appreciate if you made sure we weren't interrupted any more this solar cycle."

The firetruck shakes his head, "No. I need to get some work done."

Starscream scowls at him. "No. Not today. You need to recover, and _no one_ will do well with seeing you like this."

"He's right, Optimus." Starscream and Slipstream both jerk into action, null rays powering and aiming up at the ninjabot hanging upside-down from the ceiling. "Though I am not privy to what upset you, you are in no condition to work today. I will inform the others that you are to be left alone." He gives Starscream a dark and dangerous look. "For now."

"Fraggin' ninjabots," Slipstream mutters, watching the smaller bot leave. "Does he always do that?"

Optimus manages the faintest hint of a smile. "He does it often, yes."

Starscream sighs, "Of course he does. Get out, Slipstream. Keep the Seekers out of trouble."

She gives him a haughty look, but steps out without another word. He locks the door after her, and sits back in the berth. Handing Optimus his cube back, he kisses the firetruck on his forehead.

Optimus stares at the cube as if he's forgotten what to do with it. "I can't let myself," he shakes, "I don't have the time for mourning."

"Drink it, Optimus," he tips the cube up towards the bot's mouth. "You've been given the solar cycle off. If you think I'm letting you out of this room, you're sorely mistaken." Starscream can tell from the way Optimus is trembling that he's going to break down again soon, and it will be better for both of them if he stops fighting it so hard.

Optimus starts to push it away, so Starscream puts it down. He adjusts the firetruck in his arms, holding him so he won't escape. Kissing Optimus's forehead, he rocks him back and forth. "It is best if you let yourself mourn, rather than bottle it up."

"I," he gasps, "I can't." He's shaking hard enough that his armor rattles against Starscream.

"You can," he promises, holding him closer. "Just stop fighting it." Starscream contents himself with plotting the demise of Megatron, because thinking of the mech's energon- and oil-streaked corpse always cheers him up. He starts humming the lullaby he's heard Scatterstar sing, only stroking Optimus's back when the bot starts to cry again.

* * *

They wake up, and Optimus looks marginally better. Starscream runs his claw along the Autobot's sparkplate, and when he doesn't get shoved away, the seeker sighs. "Let's get you ready for the day, shall we? As much as I'd like to keep you here, we only had one day."

He looks around, pulls out a cloth, and hands one of the extra cubes of energon to Optimus. As the firetruck drinks, Starscream slowly starts to buff and shine him.

"I suppose we should see what reports have piled up during your brief absence," Starscream muses, working the smaller bot's polish to perfection almost worthy of a Seeker. "And I will need to make sure my Seekers have not managed to set themselves on fire."

Optimus tries on a smile, but it looks patently false to Starscream. "Have they set themselves on fire before?"

Seven times, actually. But he doesn't really want to admit that, even to Optimus. "It's better not to let them near anything flammable."

He pushes another cube into Optimus's servos, polishing himself as he drinks. He'll just get his own from the dispenser in the common area, even if he isn't sure why the firetruck doesn't have a private one. What kind of leader doesn't have a private energon dispenser? Shaking his head, he shoves the cloth into his sub-space, and takes Optimus's servo in his. There's no reason to carry a fellow leader if they're trying to show a bold front.

Were this relationship real—more real than it currently is, in any case—Starscream thinks he and Optimus would make a very attractive pair. The admiring glances they get prove him right. He stands in line with Optimus for the energon dispenser, which is blessedly short at this time of day, and collects more energon for the both of them. A quick check-in with his Seekers reassures him that they have not managed to blow any limbs off while he was gone.

When he has them both safely ensconced in Optimus's office, Starscream takes one look at the smaller bot and assigns himself the task of doing the Prime's work for him. He puts Optimus on his lap and drags his claws over the bot's seams, playing with him to keep him distracted. It's a sign of his success and Optimus's abysmal state that he manages to work through five reports before Optimus realizes what he's doing.

"Starscream... what are you doing?" Optimus says it as close to accusingly as he can when he looks like his spark is about to break. Starscream can't help but kiss him on the temple, a distraction to hide the fact that he moves the report he was filling out for the Autobot leader, replacing it with one of the more trivial ones.

"Helping you work, Optimus. You are in no state to work, though I know you keep trying. Let me do this, my little Autobot." He brushes his claws along the smaller mech's cheek, kissing him softly on the forehead this time. "It isn't anything important, after all. Just one of your bots complaining about not being allowed to sleep with my seekers. See?"

Optimus narrows his optics in confusion, studying the report. "I was certain..."

"It is nothing, Optimus. Go back to work." Starscream puts a semi-important one in Optimus's servos. "Don't worry about it."

He picks the original pad up again, when Optimus is no longer paying attention to him, and studies the listed supply routes and drops. Curses the fact that he wants to _help_ Optimus, because information like this could prove very valuable to the Decepticon cause. Well, he rationalizes, it's far more fun to backstab Megatron than it is to do so to poor, defenseless little Autobots, who practically beg to be hurt with those innocent blue optics. Very little satisfaction from that.

Sighing softly, he kisses Optimus, and gets back to work.

* * *

Several megacycles later, Starscream is pulling Optimus out of his office despite the Autobot's protests. "No, you need to be with your _family_. This is your normal time to be with them, and I'm not letting you avoid it."

Optimus shakes his head, pulling back. "I'm not good company right now. They'll be happier without me."

"No," and the Seeker won't listen to any more protests, simply dragging the other bot along with him, until they start passing other bots. Optimus is still too proud to let himself be dragged like a sparkling in front of others, so he starts walking on his own. Starscream appreciates things that make his job less difficult.

Optimus's team is sitting in the common room, but Starscream can already guess what they want to ask his firetruck, so he smiles sweetly at them. "I think it would be best for us to adjourn to a more private location."

When they ignore him, he just pulls Optimus along, so they're forced to follow. Heading to the large green one's room, Bulkhead's he thinks, he settles Optimus on his lap. He's fairly certain that his Autobot will try to take off if he isn't there, so he will keep hold of him.

Watching the others file in, he notes they gained a few more bots, the ninjabot's lover, Sunstorm, and the fascinating pink femme. Watching them all sit down, he barks, "Sunstorm. Out."

"But Starscream, my most magnificent and kind leader, you cannot kick me out, surely," he nuzzles the minibot, "I consider myself part of this family now." And Starscream does find it amusing that the yellow minibot looks vaguely nauseous at this declaration.

"Out," he demands again, and Sunstorm leaves with only a moderate amount of grumbling, all of it filled with outrageous, sarcastic praise.

When the door closes, the last Seeker in the room mutters, "He's getting better at sounding insulting as he compliments you. Frustrating bot." Clearing his throat, he looks at all the bots gathered around. "And I bet you all want to know what's going on, don't you? Since the ninjabot-"

"Prowl," Optimus corrects him.

"Prowl," Starscream sighs, "sneaky frustrating bot that he is, most likely told you that what we were doing wasn't interfacing. We will explain what's going on." He looks away, disgusted, "If we _must_."

"We would appreciate that, Starscream," Prowl says, watching him carefully.

Bots like these need their information given to them bluntly, like a steel bar to the head. "Megatron was kind enough to send us some very ... special footage of himself and Blackarachnia. It was quite upsetting." He strokes a servo over Optimus's back, both impressed and upset by how well the bot manages to keep his expression neutral during this exchange.

"That slagging -" the medic starts growling, cursing Megatron's lineage, interfacing capabilities, and spark size. Starscream files a few of the curses away for later use.

Starscream runs a single claw along Optimus's chestplate, no reaction. Rolling his optics, he says, "Yes, quite. Now you see why I am here to keep him company during this."

Prowl steps forward, placing a servo on Optimus's shoulder, "Our offer is still open, should you prefer someone from your own team to help support you during this, Optimus."

What offer? He eyes the ninjabot suspiciously, "Yes, well, I'm quite upset as well, you know."

Prowl arches an optic ridge, "You hide it quite well."

Starscream's optics narrow in distrust: he doesn't like how the bot is touching his firetruck. "I'm a _fantastic_ actor."

The ninjabot steps a little closer, both servos on Optimus now. "Are you really?"

He's about to hiss, and yank Optimus away, but the leaderbot defuses the situation, "Let it go, Prowl. He is very helpful for what I want, and isn't taking advantage of me."

The ninjabot doesn't look reassured until Optimus adds, "I promise." Then the ninjabot steps back to his carbot lover. It is all Starscream can do not to stick out his glossa mockingly.

Bulkhead is still standing there, looking extremely confused. "I'm sorry but uh, what did you mean by 'special footage'?"

Bumblebee flails his arms at Bulkhead before Starscream can answer as bluntly as he'd like. "Oh, it's uh, you know. Bad things. Very bad things. Things that will make boss-bot even more upset if we speculate on them, okay, buddy?"

The green bot scratches his head. "Alright, if you say so." He smiles at Optimus. "We're here for you, Optimus."

Optimus just nods at him, leaning against Starscream blankly. The Seeker sighs, and kisses his temple, pulling out the cloth to start polishing Optimus again as he says dismissively, "Now you lot do whatever it is you do during your family bonding time. Pretend I'm not here. Be glad I kicked Sunstorm out. Whatever."

Ratchet watches him. "I take it that obsessive polishing is a Seeker thing, huh? Not surprising, considering how vain you all are."

Starscream lifts his head imperiously. "Some of us like to present a good face when we leave our quarters."

Ratchet grumbles, "Sure, and judging from the noise levels on this base, I know exactly what kind of 'faces Seekers like best—_ow_!" He rubs his helmet, turning a glare on Arcee.

She dusts her servos off. "There's no need for insult, Ratchet."

Starscream smirks at the medic. "Indeed." Then goes back to polishing his Autobot. He was already sparkling, he'd gotten nervous while in the office since there was a com call he couldn't take for Optimus, but he wasn't going to let that distract him. He doesn't care what his bot's team is chattering about, so he phases it out.

He hopes Optimus recovers from his sparkbreak soon, because each passing solar cycle makes it less likely that interfacing with him and sending it to Megatron will be suitable revenge. And then he'll have to come up with some alternative, like poisoning Megatron's energon—which he usually noticed—or putting pressure sensitive explosives everywhere on the Decepticon base—which usually exploded every mech except for Megatron. Then again, if he borrowed Scatterstar to test some new explosives, he might actually have a chance of success.

Starscream hopes that "distracted and plotting revenge" looks something like "also sparkbroken andor concerned for the stability of an Autobot ally."

* * *

Ultra Magnus sits in his office, servos tapping his desk. It has been several solar cycles since he last talked to Optimus Prime, and he is worried for him. There are rumors, pretty persistent ones, that Starscream, second in command of the Decepticons, has his claws into Optimus. And Optimus hasn't called in just to check with Autobot Command, either.

Normally that wouldn't be a problem, since he'd just assume that he was busy dealing with Decepticons, and Megatron himself. And every time he thinks of how his loyal Optimus is going against the _leader_ of the Decepticons, his spark clenches and stabs. But what he's worried about now is the fact that in all the secondhand reports he got from his bots, Optimus has just barely been talking, letting that horrendous seeker do most of the speaking.

He glances down at the datapad in his servo, which is filled with chicken scratches, rather than Optimus's smooth writing. He has reason to suspect that it is being filled out by the Decepticon under Optimus's faceplate.

So he's sitting in his office, servo tapping his desk, contemplating calling Optimus.

He has no legitimate reason to call him, save asking if he would like the Elite Guard to send a set of datapads more suitable for Decepticon-sized servos. If any of the rumors are true, Ultra Magnus would have cause to investigate, and the last thing he wants to do is put that sort of pressure on Optimus.

Still. He could call as a friend again. Optimus had seemed to enjoy that the last time he'd done it.

He keys in Optimus' frequency on Earth, hesitates, and then connects the call.

The sight that greets him when the call is accepted fills his spark with dread. Optimus looks terrible; he's shinier and better polished than Ultra Magnus has ever seen, but he looks like he's only half-online, exhausted and run down. He is also curled up against the side of one of the worst Decepticons still online—Starscream. What in Primus's name has _happened_ since he spoke with Optimus last?

He's considering what to say when Optimus's optics light up at the sight of him, giving him a smile that warms his spark to see. Maybe it isn't as bad as he feared. But that idea goes to the Pit when the firetruck sighs sadly, and curls up into that seeker's side. Starscream, wretched bot what he is, tucks Optimus under his arm in a manner that can only be called protective. He coos softly to Optimus, offering what is clearly false sympathy.

And he suddenly realizes he's been staring at them for the last cycle, and he really should speak.

"Optimus," he says warmly, "it's so good to see you again." He turns his focus on Starscream, who has the gall to drag a claw right across Optimus's chest, and Ultra Magnus's tone turns icy, "Starscream. I must admit that I was not expecting to see you in Optimus's office." Or with Optimus curled against your side.

"Then we are even, as we were not expecting a call from you," Starscream purrs, servos sliding all over Optimus, who makes absolutely no move to stop him. "Was there some urgent matter that needs our attention?"

It looks like the seeker gave him the perfect reason to bring up what he wasn't planning to, since he just took out a cleaning cloth and is gently wiping away his claw marks from just moments ago. Who knows how badly the Decepticon is molesting his Optimus?

"As a matter of fact, there is." He pulls out one of the datapads filled with the seeker's horrible servowriting. "You are a security risk, and you are handling sensitive documents."

Optimus looks up at that, frowning in the most spark rending way. The Magnus just wants to sweep him into his arms, and kiss him. His firetruck bot mumbled, "I told you not to touch those, Starscream."

The seeker kisses him, kisses him, right on the faceplate, acting like he actually cares, but Starscream's smirk at him shows he doesn't really at all, and replies so softly Ultra Magnus can just barely make it out, "I filled them out because you need to rest, my little bot. You are recovering, and I'm not going to use it against you. You are keeping my Seekers safe, and I will never let them be hurt."

"Don't do it again," Optimus mutters at the Seeker before turning to face Ultra Magnus again, "I apologize for this, sir. It won't happen again." He looks at the stacks of datapads on his desk and seems to wilt, energy draining right out of him.

"Optimus," Ultra Magnus keeps his tone even, despite the strong desire to shout at the Seeker still fondling the firetruck, "have you assigned yourself a secretarybot?" From the startled and guilty look he receives, Ultra Magnus knows the answer is "no." He sighs, and says, "Pick one from your current staff, or I will assign one to you."

Optimus rubs his forehead—he's always been prone to processor aches, and Ultra Magnus wishes he was there to soothe it for him; he bites back a curse when Starscream's claws stroke that aching head. "We're a bit understaffed as it is, Ultra Magnus. There's no one I feel we can spare for ... petty tasks."

He makes his decision then, optics locked on Starscream's. "Then you'll be reassured when I inform you of my upcoming visit. The council has approved a few more bots for our Earth posting, and I'll make sure to bring a secretarybot from my own staff." The council has not approved any of this, but they _will_ when he politely informs them it is necessary.

Starscream scowls at him, and he can't help but mentally cheer. Then the seeker suddenly smirks, "But we already have a secretarybot we can use. He's even an Autobot." He says it as if commenting on the weather, and Ultra Magnus can't help but be horrified. He _can't_ be talking about-

"His name is Scatterstar." Optimus shoots the seeker a disbelieving look, and Starscream rolls his optics before continuing, "He's perfectly capable." He looks away, and adds, almost an as an aside, "As long as you keep him on Skywarp's lap."

Ultra Magnus leaps on that. "We can't have a secretarybot that is constantly distracted by a Decepticon."

Starscream shrugs, "If you wish. I guess we'll just have to keep testing bombs on him, then."

Optimus starts to sit up at that, but allows himself to be tucked back against Starscream's side while saying, "He's not doing that while under Autobot protection, Starscream. He's supposed to be _safe_ here."

The Seeker looks down at him in confusion, "What are you talking about? It isn't like we've let up on the testing. He's possibly the most effective bomb defuser we've ever trained."

"Be that as it may, I would still prefer you did not try to explode him while he stays with us, Starscream." Optimus shook his head, "If you have been using him that way, I'm sure that assigning him as my secretary won't stop you from drawing him off to continue to do so at your convenience. Which will, of course, leave me with no secretary again."

"Then it's settled," Ultra Magnus interrupts, before the Decepticon can try to come up with some other excuse, "and you can expect my arrival within two solar cycles." He did still need to inform the council of his immanent departure, and the extra resources they could now expect to be sending. "Until then, I see no problem with the temporary use of ... Scatterstar," Ultra Magnus levels a cold look at the Seeker, "provided our allies do not attempt to offline him during that time."

"As if we'd be able to," the seeker scoffs, pulling Optimus into his lap, "bot is insanely lucky." Starscream turns to Ultramagnus, one servo cupping the firetruckbot's face, "We look forward to your visit, Lord Magnus." And he cuts off the call just as he kisses Optimus possesively.

It is all Ultra Magnus can do not to break the com. His secretary peeks into his office a klik later, not used to the normally calm leader cursing angrily, much less for so long.

* * *

Ultra Magnus stands at the helm of his ship, anticipation making his spark flutter in his chest. It was only a matter of kliks before he would be seeing Optimus again, and it took an unexpected amount of effort to remind himself that pulling the smaller mech into his arms and kissing him would not be an acceptable response. Optimus tended to be quite shy about certain things, and a sudden kiss from his commander might knock the poor bot offline.

Several new bots were chattering eagerly, as none of them had ever been to Earth. The soldiers all have at least some experience fighting Decepticons; Ultra Magnus is not about to supply Optimus with green mechs who had never been tested on the battlefield. The secretarybot he's chosen for Optimus is a good one, and he's been warned to stay out of the clutches of any potentially amorous Seekers.

They land gently, and Ultra Magnus is the first one out, unwilling to wait any longer. He's wondering why Optimus isn't there to greet him when Jazz and Prowl step out, obviously as Optimus' replacement. Not that he isn't happy to see them, since it has been awhile since he saw Jazz, always a welcome sight, and Prowl... an interesting bot to say the least.

Greeting them warmly, he claps them on the shoulder, and they explain what has been going on since he has last visited. It is getting increasingly difficult not to just ask where Optimus is, but he is worried _that Seeker_ is interfacing him as they speak, and that's not something he wants to know. It is better that the ninjabots distract him so he can at least pretend it isn't happening.

"We hope the slightly less ... conspicuous alternate modes we provided for the new bots were helpful," Prowl smiles. "We've found that less threatening modes tend to upset the organic life here less."

Ultra Magnus wonders if the ninjabot is making a subtle dig at his own altmode. Further inquiry had revealed that the vehicle he used was perhaps not the best choice—but Ultra Magnus could not deny that he was pleased that it allowed him access to most of his weapons even while in altmode.

The thought of it makes him smile, but he has to agree it _is_ best that they don't scare the organics, since Optimus and everyone who gets stationed here is so very fond of them. "They're very useful. It will help us blend in much easier."

The pair of ninjabots smile in response, and the tour resumes. It isn't long before they finally get to Optimus ... and Starscream. While the sight of the former fills his spark with delight, the latter brings it crashing down in disgust. Optimus is shined mirror-bright, looking better even than the Seeker at his side.

He steps forward to clasp his firetruck's servo, whose face flashes recognition and possibly happiness, only for his tiny mech to be pulled deftly out of the way. He glares harshly at Starscream, but the Seeker pays him no mind, gently buffing out a dent in Optimus's side. "So sorry, Lord Magnus," the Seeker's voice is just on the edge of threat and sarcasm, "but Optimus has just finished having my paint cleaned off of him."

Ultra Magnus feels his servo clench reflexively on his hammer, but he prevents himself from calling lightning with it, or smashing the Decepticon's face, if just barely. The fury subsides a bit when Optimus turns a glare on the Seeker, hissing something too quietly for Ultra Magnus to hear. Whatever was said, it doesn't seem to deter the Seeker, who smiles brightly and wraps an arm around the smaller bot's waist.

"Ultra Magnus, it is good to see you again." Optimus sounds almost lost, and it hurts his spark to hear him like this. Ultra wants to pull him away from Starscream, and hold the smaller mech close to his chest, to keep Optimus safe from what hurt him. And he's fairly certain what's hurt him is clinging to him like a limpet.

Glaring at Starscream, Ultra Magnus replies, "I am sorry it isn't under more favorable circumstances, Optimus. It is never good to see such a valued friend in this state."

Optimus manages a smile somehow. "If you've brought the secretarybot you promised, I'm sure I will recover quickly."

It is not overwork that has his bot this stressed and miserable, and all three of them know it. Ultra Magnus just needs a megacycle or two alone with Optimus to get him talking. "You will not be disappointed in his work, I'm sure." He shares a smile with Optimus, "Less time spent in the office is always preferable, as we both know."

"Oh, I certainly hope so," Starscream drags a claw across Optimus's chest plates, smirking when the smaller bot shoves his servo away, "spending so much time in his office gets quite dull. That is, unless we do something more stimulating than reading datapads in there."

Ultra Magnus' servo clenches on his hammer, and he grinds out, "I'm sure."

Optimus's optics dim, as if the smaller bot thinks Ultra Magnus is upset with him, so Ultra straightens up, giving his bot a smile. "How about we go catch up in a more private area?" He lets his optics drift along their audience of bots that were there at the beginning or had wandered in to see the leaders interacting.

Starscream, treacherous scum he is, pulls Optimus closer to his chest, and replies, "That seems like a wonderful idea, but it may be best if we stay in public. It is always best to stay in sight when you clearly have such ... unprincipled intentions."

Optimus shoves himself away from the Seeker, tense with anger, "Do not imply such things about your allies, Starscream." Ultra Magnus watches, too numb with rage to say anything, expending all of his energy on the effort of not taking the Seeker out right then and there. Optimus turns, "Prowl, Jazz, would you please come with Ultra Magnus and me? ... We need to discuss the integration of our newest recruits."

Both bots nod, and Ultra Magnus calms slightly; it'll be easy enough to dismiss them if Optimus doesn't feel comfortable explaining the real cause of his distress in front of them.

Starscream smiles, smug and awful. "If you're going to discuss your staff without me, you should at least take Windburner with you. I'm sure Ramjet won't mind sparing him for a while, and he _is_ in charge of shift assignments."

The small Elite Guard pulls himself from one of the Seekers' laps, Ultra Magnus can only assume Ramjet's, to follow them. Of course the underhanded Starscream would figure out a way to plant a spy, even if it was through his underlings' berth partners. From what he can remember of Windburner, he is fiercely loyal to a fault. Normally a good thing, but he and the seeker he's with are apparently planning a bonding ceremony after the war. Not that he believes that, Windburner always liked rushing in.

Ultra Magnus sighs, for now he won't be able to get Optimus to open up about this. Shoving it from his processor, he follows Optimus out. He can hear Starscream yelling faintly in the background , "Well? Don't you all have _work_ to do? If you have enough time to stand around watching, you have enough time to scrub the hallways!" followed by the sound of a rapidly clearing room.

It doesn't reassure him that the Seeker is a good leader.

They do need to discuss staff issues, and Vectorgear needs to begin his work as Optimus's secretary. He introduces the smaller bot to Optimus; not a minibot, because they have learned the hard way to not put minibots in battle-prone areas that Shockwave had access to. He proves his worth by immediately declaring that half of the reports being given to Optimus should have been reviewed by lower ranked officers. Leaving him outside of the meeting room, the other five bots settle in to discuss tactics, and Ultra Magnus finds himself wishing that he were alone with Optimus now.

Nevertheless, he can't offer the depressed bot more than a pat on the shoulder now and then, or a caring touch on the arm. The Seekers have been on base _far_ too long if they already have such dedicated spies.

He contents himself with the fact that he'll be able to find time alone with his bot soon enough. Ultra Magnus can be a patient bot when necessary.

* * *

The next morning, Ultra Magnus wakes early, wanting to get to Optimus before Starscream can. He hurries to the energon dispenser, still slightly amazed the earth base has _one_, and absolutely no private ones, not even in Optimus's room. But that works out to his advantage, giving him the perfect excuse to meet with his firetruck.

He takes two cubes after drinking one for himself first, and heads straight to Optimus's room. Knocking on the door firmly, he waits patiently for it to open. When it does, he's utterly horrified to see Starscream in the doorway, covered with Ultra Magnus's and Optimus's paint. The seeker looks at him blankly for an astrosecond, and slams the door shut in his face.

He stands there, stunned, not really sure what to do, when the door opens again, and Starscream takes the cubes from his unresisting servos. And the door is slammed in his face again.

The Seeker really is interfacing with Optimus? ... He wants to kick the door open and rescue the firetruck from the jet. But if they are interfacing, Optimus won't appreciate his interference, especially so early in the morning. Ultra Magnus is more determined than ever to get Optimus alone and find out exactly what is going on, why he looks sparkbroken, why he is letting a Seeker treat him this way in public, and why that Seeker is so possessive of him.

Deciding against making it look worse than it already does, he heads to the common room. Taking another cube, he sits on the couch, pretending not to sulk. He's settling in for a brooding session when the little yellow techno-organic perches on the arm. He belatedly notes that it is actually padded, so perhaps she normally sits there?

She gives him a very dark look, and he's not sure exactly why, since she's the one that's showing off where her spark is. It makes him uncomfortable to look at her.

She keeps glaring at him, and after a few kliks of this, he gives in. "Is there something you wanted to talk about, Sari?"

She snaps at him, "Exactly how _old_ are you?" And that was not anything he expected her to ask at all.

"I've been online for quite some time," he answers her, "and Primus-willing, I will be online for much longer."

"That's not an answer," she glares at him. "Were you around during that war?"

"Yes."

"So you're really old, then?" Sari challenges him, though he still can't understand why.

"Age for Cybertronians is a bit different," he says, not meaning to be evasive but that is a long discussion, and sips his energon.

"That is still not an answer." Her voice is flinty.

"I suppose you could call me old, Sari. But you are very young."

She huffs, and turns away. "Stop trying to flirt with Optimus."

He tries not to spit out his energon in shock, ending up coughing. She continues exuding contempt while sitting there. When he finally gets in control of himself, Ultra Magnus says, "Sari, I'm not trying to flirt with him. I'm just worri-"

"Don't give me that. I didn't even have to see your display with Starscream in order to know."

He stares at her for a klik, checks to make sure the room is still empty before he replies, "Sari, even if I were interested in Optimus, he's in no state to be in a relationship right now. I would never take advantage of that." Ultra Magnus sets his half-empty cube aside. "He is hurting from something, and my duties as Magnus and friend will always come first."

She stares at him, hard, clearly disbelieving, and he holds out a servo to her. "I'm not sure why you don't belive me about this, Sari. I'm not going to do anything to hurt him."

She looks at him closely, and it feels a bit like she's staring at his spark, a very uncomfortable feeling. He is about to put down the servo, only for her to put her tiny one in his. "Fine, but I still don't like you."

"That is understandable. We did not have a good first meeting," he acknowledges, "so long as you don't poison my energon, I believe we can get along."

Sari gives a little shrug, "Since there's only one dispenser-thing, it's hard to mess with it without getting the whole base sick." Ultra Magnus wonders if her glance to one side means she has tampered with it before. He makes note to check the records and see if the entire base spent an entire day ill at any point.

They sit there for a klick in silence, before asking, "You said you knew I was attracted to Optimus even before I interacted with him. Did - did you see me on a com call with Optimus, or something like that?"

She lets out a harsh bark of laughter, "No. I wish it was that easy."

He gives her a confused look. "Want to explain what you mean?" She looks like she's going to snap at him, but he hurries on before she can, "You _did_ bring it up. I'd like to know."

Sari frowns at him, then looks around the room, there are sounds of bots waking up, and she's clearly unwilling to talk when there are bots all over. "Would you prefer we talk in a more private area?"

"Of course," he says, and stands, watching her make her way to Prowl, apparently deciding he was to be part of this conversation as well. So be it.

They sit in one of the meeting rooms, one of very few rooms on the base that has been mostly soundproofed. The ninjabot has chosen to sit on the table, and Sari sits on his lap, placing them both closer to Ultra Magnus's own optic-level. Living in a society of mostly smaller Autobots means that Ultra Magnus is used to crouching or kneeling down to make smaller bots feel more at ease around him.

"Would you like to explain your knowledge now, Sari?" he asks politely, offering her the chance to back out if she truly does not want to.

Sari punches Prowl gently, and the ninjabot adjusts how he's sitting, the techno-organic sitting more comfortably. "I guess." Prowl runs a calming servo along her side, and she begins to talk, "Okay, you know how I'm a techno-organic, right? Imbued by the AllSpark, wonder of nature, blah blah blah," She waves her hands dismissively, and he nods.

"I can tell how much bots like each other. Not in the way you're thinking. Not just observation. More of an intuitive thing. Like, the AllSpark wants me to have kids, so I need to know if someone is interested, and how much."

Ultra Magnus gives her a disbelieving look.

"I'm serious. Do you think I go around with this because I want to?" She taps the painted spark on her chest, the one he's been avoiding looking at. "I don't."

"You're claiming that the AllSpark caused," he gestures vaguely at her chest, "that? ... And it lets you know if a bot finds you attractive?" It seemed too—strangely convenient. Ultra Magnus was aware of the ... rumors about the AllSpark that had led to its being jettisoned into space, but this was -

"Yeah, I am saying that. Everytime we try to cover this stupid thing up, it just starts glowing, or the color seeps into whatever armor I put on top of it." Sari growls in frustration. "Man, the reactions! Some of you bots are _so_ not cool about it. Bad enough that Optimus includes 'Reasons you will not stare at Sari's chest or proposition her, or risk being chopped up into tiny pieces by your Prime' as part of new bots' orientation."

Ultra Magnus is certain she's exaggerating, but doesn't let that show on his face. "That is certainly distressing."

She rolls her eyes, and Prowl chuckles. The ninjabot taps foreheads with Sari. "We've yet to have too large a problem with it, but are always prepared."

"An admirable trait in any bot," he murmurs, watching their interaction. Optimus has a good team, one that Ultra Magnus can trust to help Optimus whenever possible. Still, he can't imagine why they've allowed him to attach himself to _Starscream_, of all mechs. Speaking of that -

"I do not mean to pry, but," he pauses, "do either of you know why Optimus is acting so ... sparkbroken? I cannot, for some reason, manage to get the chance to ask him myself."

Sari snickers. "Could that reason be named Starscream?"

He sighs gently, and nods.

Prowl rolls his optics. "I'm not surprised. He is excessively clingy when you come up in a conversation. And judging by how Optimus reacts around you, that is exactly why."

"Reacts around me?" he asks, curious. He knows his friend enjoys his company and their chats.

"Like he's conscious again," Prowl explains, expression placid.

Sari crosses her arms over her chest, inadvertently drawing attention to her spark paint, which Ultra Magnus steadfastly avoids looking at, keeping his optics fixed on hers. "It's 'cause he likes you too. Sort of. A little bit. You know, like microscopic small."

Ultra Magnus gives her an encouraging look, and she glares at him poisonously. "Not that it matters, Blackarachnia hurt him, and he's in mourning. Even if the idiot won't admit it, and tries to be brave, he ends up broken." She turns away, clearly not wanting to say more.

Prowl continues for her, expression blank, holding Sari in his arms comfortingly. "He reacts to you. That's both a very good thing, and a slightly disappointing thing. It is good because he reacts well to you being here, and it is disappointing, since _you_ are not a bot that can take the time to build him back up from mourning."

They were in the middle of a war, and Ultra Magnus was needed on Cyberton just as much as Optimus Prime was needed here on Earth. But Blackarachnia?

"Why is he sparkbroken over a Decepticon?" he asks, because he cannot possibly imagine when the Prime would have had a chance to cultivate a relationship with the techno-organic Decepticon.

Sari and Prowl share a long, silent look, before Prowl speaks again, "You should ask Optimus about that." ...

Ultra Magnus's servo curls into a fist. "I would ask him, were I able to get even a single breem alone with him."

Prowl smirks at him. "Ah. _That_ is easily enough accomplished by inciting a fight between the seekers."

He gives Prowl a frustrated look, "And how, exactly, am I supposed to do that? I'm not really built to incite and sneak away."

Prowl starts to open his mouth, only for Sari to slap her servo over it. "No, you aren't doing it this time. We'll just have Bee ask Sunstorm. You need to be with him to play chaperone in case they get caught."

There simply aren't words for how irritated Ultra Magnus is that a few sly insinuations from Starscream had been enough to stop him from getting true privacy with Optimus. "It would be best if I could talk to him soon. I - dislike to see one of my officers this upset."

Prowl nods, "It has been ... difficult, watching him take his comfort from Starscream, rather than from his family." He looks down, venting a soft sigh. "I fear he often sees us as a team to protect, rather than a team to stand with."

Sari turns around, wrapping her arms around the ninjabot in a tight and caring hug. "I think it was because you're with Jazz that he refused, Prowl. He took it the wrong way." She kisses his forehead, and Ultra Magnus just gets even more confused.

He clears his throat politely, and they snap their attention back to him. "How do I ask Bumblebee to ask Sunstorm?"

Sari gives him a sad smile. "Leave it to me."

* * *

Ultra Magnus is enjoying a bit of energon when the sudden screeches and blasts of weaponfire outside begin. Most of the bots in the room crowd around the windows, and Ultra Magnus arches an optic ridge when he overhears bets being placed on how long it will take the Seekers to offline one another. He and Prowl sit and wait, as inconspicuously as possible. One of the bots detaches from the crowd and rushes to Optimus's office, past his secretary. A few astroseconds later Starscream comes out, cursing and charging his weapons as he goes.

Ultra Magnus finds it mildly frustrating that Prowl can simply glide across the floor like he does, without a single sound betraying him. He and Jazz have some of the quietest engines he's ever heard.

Or not heard, as the case may be.

They slip into Optimus's office, Prowl stationed at the door. Ultra Magnus frowns at Optimus curled up in a chair, optics offline. Sitting next to him, he puts a soft servo on his firetruck's shoulder. When Optimus doesn't even move, he frowns, and shakes him lightly. The firetruck sits up slowly, optics only onlining when he's fully upright.

"Ultra Magnus," Optimus gives him a small but happy smile, and his spark lifts.

"Would you like to tell me what's been going on? Since Starscream won't be interrupting us for a little while. I'd like to know from _you_, and not from someone that doesn't have all the facts or is trying to hide them from me."

Optimus glances at Prowl, "I ... wouldn't even know where to begin."

Ultra Magnus turns Optimus's gaze back on him, "Start at the beginning. When the Seekers arrived, and work your way from there."

Optimus vents a sigh, his optics dimming again, but he starts. And every passing klik of narration makes Ultra Magnus's spark drop lower and lower, until it feels as if it will sink right down through his frame. When Optimus gets to Blackarachnia, when he explains that she used to be Elita-1, Ultra Magnus stops denying himself one of his dearest wishes, pulls Optimus onto his lap to wrap his arms around him, and wishes he never had to let go. Primus, his bot should _never_ have had to go through any of this.

* * *

Prowl watches silently, keeping an optic out for Starscream. The sounds of Sunstorm and Thundercracker fighting continue loud and harsh, even if far away, so he knows the lead Seeker will be gone for awhile. He frowns in increasing concern as Optimus goes on.

If he had known or even guessed this all was going on, he never would have let the Seeker near Optimus. The more he talks, the angrier Prowl gets. It irritates him slightly that Ultra Magnus, a bot that isn't even family, is being confided in, while he had to go through intermediaries even to talk to Optimus.

But it is when Optimus says he opened his sparkplates for Starscream that he is outraged enough to deal with him. Terrminally. Or as terminally as he can when the seeker has an AllSpark shard stuck in his head. It doesn't matter that the jet closed the plates, refusing. The very fact that Optimus felt he had to offer infuriates him to his very spark.

He slips out of the room without either mech noticing; with the both of them so emotionally compromised, he wouldn't have even needed to be a ninjabot to make such an escape. The continued noise outside informs him that the wretched Seeker is still attempting to pacify—or murder—his clones. No one sees him leave the base, to survey the fight from a closer distance.

Thundercracker is crumpled on the ground, apparently offlined at some earlier point, while Starscream and Sunstorm are hovering, hissing at one another like an angry pair of cats. Cats equipped with null rays.

They are surrounded by bots who keep far enough away not to get hit by stray fire, but close enough toget a good look. Normally he'd wait until Starscream is alone, but he's far too angry for that to be the case. He circles them silently, not wanting to draw too much attention. And, there, an opening. Starscream has Sunstorm pinned down, and is just about to offline him, back exposed and unprotected. Perfectly distracted.

Prowl lands heavily on him, bringing more weight to bear as he kicks the lead seeker off the orange mech. Digging his servos under Starcream's chin, he twists and yanks the jet's head off entirely. He'd like to drop him and dust his servos, but he needs to put him where he won't be troubling Autobots before he onlines.

Ignoring the stunned looks of the various bots around him (vindicated and happy if you pay attention to the seekers), Prowl runs off with Starscream's head in his arm.

* * *

Starscream onlines violently, with a startled curse. That slagging ninjabot had just-

He realizes he's being held at the same time he realizes his body is missing. Again.

Starscream really, really does not want to online his optics.

A servo strokes his helmet gently, and Starscream reluctantly lets his optics switch on. Immediately wishes he hadn't. "Megatron."

The too-familiar mech gives him a fragging smirk. "You were found outside our base, with a very peculiar note. 'Next time, don't leave your trash where we can find it.'"

And all Starcream can do is curse in response.

* * *

Optimus onlines, alone, in his berth.

While there's a tiny part of him that mourns the loss of warmth, the rest of him is thankful he's no longer being touched by Starscream. He forces himself up, and groans into his servos. He can't _believe_ he broke down in Ultra Mangnus's lap. He was even worse with him than with Starcream.

How humiliating.

For the first time since the Decepticon had begun sharing his berth, Optimus manages to leave his quarters without being polished to a mirror-finish. At the energon dispenser, he accidentally fills two cubes and ends up sitting at the table, staring at the second cube, which seems to stare back at him in accusation. If the Seekers follow their leader back to the Decepticon side, their return will have been _his_ fault. Optimus vents a sigh. He'd really like to make it through a single solar cycle without a processor ache.

He's thinking about getting up, and shoving the extra cube in one of the random bots' servos when he's joined by Sunstorm. The Seeker smiles cheerfully at him, and steals the cube. "Good morning, brave Optimus. It is wonderful to see you moving around under your own power, rather than with," his voice turns so over the top, it is abundantly clear, even to Optimus's still-depressed processor, that he's being sarcastic, "my _gracious leader_ Starcream."

Optimus smiles at that, even if it dies shortly after. "I appologize for-"

Sunstorm lets out a bark of laughter, "Do not be sorry, courageous Optimus Prime. We clones are _happier_ here than we ever were while serving under our _wondrous_ leader."

Sunstorm can be so hard to read properly, Optimus knows he'll need to seek out at least one of the others to confirm this fact. Probably Ramjet. "I'm pleased to hear that you'll be staying with us." He eyes the Seeker for a moment. "I assume the others have already explained to you that if you break Bumblebee's spark, you will regret it?"

Sunstorm smiles at him disarmingly. "Most certainly. I especially liked the adorable Sari's threat to crush my AllSpark shard beneath her dainty heel."

Optimus finishes his energon. "I wouldn't call them 'dainty heels' anywhere she can hear you." He still feels awful, but at least he hasn't managed to ruin everything by breaking down in front of Prowl and Ultra Magnus. He really should set up some sort of disciplinary action for Prowl's attack on Starscream, but he can't find it in his spark to do so. He would have done the same himself if he'd been able to avoid crushing the alliance while he was at it.

The seeker wanders off after patting him on the shoulder, it seems the jet had only really wanted to reassure him, or something to that effect. Optimus sighs, and stands up, accidentlly bumping into Ultra Magnus. He manages, just barely, not to blush. He'd been on the larger mech's lap for most of the last solar cycle. Not even Starscream had gotten him to do that.

He coughs nervously, and backs out of the Magnus's way, only for the larger mech to put down a cautious servo on his shoulder. "Are you okay, Optimus?" comes his gentle voice, and Optimus just wants to lean against him.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you," he replies politely, hyper-aware of all the bots in the room with them. "I will be reprimanding Prowl for his actions later."

Ultra Magnus looks off to one side, where Optimus can see Prowl being congratulated by a half dozen bots, presumably for offlining the most annoying of all Seekers. "Yes. I can see that a ... reprimand is necessary."

Ultra Magnus gently leads him away from the common room. "But I don't think right now is the time to do it, Optimus. He knows he wasn't supposed to do it, and Prowl is not the kind of bot to gloat."

Allowing himself to be lead to a private room, Optimus sits in a chair. If he is still slightly stiff, he's uncomfortable at being alone with the larger mech. Not because of what Ultra Magnus might do, but because he wants nothing more than to climb into his arms and be held. He had felt safe, loved even, as the other bot held him close and let him explain what had been going on.

It was a kind of comfort he didn't feel right asking for. They were all in this war together, and Optimus _had_ to stay strong. He would be apologizing for his breakdown already if he'd had the courage to bring the topic up again.

"Are you really alright, Optimus?" the other mech asks him, sitting beside him, close enough to touch.

He starts to say he's just fine, but the look in his leader's optics makes him duck down and be honest. "I've been better, sir. Being with you helped far more than you would think, though."

Ultra Magnus puts a servo on his shoulder, and it is all Optimus can do not to lean into it. "I'll be here for you whenever you want, Optimus. I can even put off returning for another decacycle or more. You are far more important than any work I have building up."

Optimus fights off a blush, "Thank you, sir. But I'm sure you're needed on Cybertron." He wants to crawl onto Ultra Magnus's lap and _stay_ there. He won't give in to that urge.

Ultra Magnus shakes his head, "I have capable bots working in my absence, Optimus. Should I need to stay here; should you want me to stay, then I will."

Optimus looks away, actually blushing now."I couldn't ask you that, sir."

The Magnus moves so he's looking right in Optimus's red-cheeked face, getting far too close, but not close enough at the same time, to say, "I would love to stay with you longer, Optimus. All you have to do is ask"

"I ... can't, sir," he's overcome with the sudden urge to lean closer, to—no, he can't let himself do that. This is Ultra Magnus, and it wouldn't be right to take advantage of his kindness and compassion. He would be doing this for any bot, and Optimus shouldn't feel ... special, shouldn't think that Ultra Magnus seems to be paying far too much attention to his mouth.

He starts to look down, anywhere but at Ultra Magnus, when he's suddenly _kissed_. It's quick, and the Magnus moves away right after, but the firetruck just stares at him, stunned. Optimus isn't sure what to do other than to bring a servo up to his mouth, his oveheating cheeks bright red.

The larger mech reaches out a servo, "I ... I hope that wasn't too forward of me, Optimus."

Optimus is positive he's just suffered some memory glitch, because there's no way that he was just kissed. By Ultra Magnus. "I, sir, I," he stutters.

"Ultra," the larger mech corrects him with a smile. "Please, don't call me 'sir' right after I've kissed you."

Optimus hides his face in his servos, only to have Ultra Magnus pull them down, and tug him gently closer. He doesn't even bother to offer a shred of resistance, almost throwing himself in the larger mech's lap. When the mech's arms wrap around him, he clings to him tightly. "I'd ... I'd really like you to stay."

A servo cups his helmet, stroking one of his head fins soothingly. "Then I'll stay. For as long as you need me."

* * *

**Please review**

And here it is, the sister story to _Click. _It is longer, more in depth, and all in one chapter! Aren't you glad I posted it?

I don't really have much to say aside from how _awesome _Vivienne is about this. I'd have never gotten around to posting this if she hadn't done the italics.

I am lazy.

But, yeah, please review. I know some of you originally started reading because of _Click, _and I hope that this filled in the gaps for you about what happened. Now that you don't have Bumblebee as the viewpoint character.


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